VATICAN CITY

VATICAN CITYVatican City officially Vatican City State is a walled enclave within the city of Rome. With an area of approximately 44 hectares (0. 44 kilometers), and a population of 842, it is the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population.

GEOGRAPHYThe territory includes St. Peter's Square, distinguished from the territory of Italy only by a white line along the limit of the square, where it touches Piazza Pio XII. St. Peter's Square is reached through the Via della Conciliazione which runs from close to the Tiber River to St. Peter's Square

GEOGRAPHY

There are no passport controls for visitors entering Vatican City from the surrounding Italian territory. There is free public access to Saint Peter's Square and Basilica and, on the occasion of papal general audiences, to the hall in which they are held.

GARDENSWithin the territory of Vatican City are the Vatican Gardens which account for more than half of this territory. The gardens, established during the Renaissance and Baroque era, are decorated with fountains and sculptures.

GOVERNANCEThe politics of Vatican City takes place in an absolute elective monarchy, in which the head of the Roman Catholic Church takes power. The Pope exercises principal legislative, executive, and judicial power over the State of Vatican City, which is a rare case of a non-hereditary monarchy

HEAD OF STATEThe Pope is ex officio head of state of Vatican City, functions dependent on his primordial function as bishop of the diocese of Rome. The term Holy See refers not to the Vatican state but to the Pope's spiritual and pastoral governance, largely exercised through the Roman Curia.

DEFENCE AND SECURITYAs the Vatican City is an enclave within Italy, its military defence is provided by the Italian armed forces. Vatican City has no armed forces of its own, although the Swiss Guard is a military corps of the Holy See responsible for the personal security of the Pope, and resident in the state. Soldiers of the Swiss Guard are entitled to hold Vatican City State passports and nationality.

DEFENCE AND SECURITYAt the end of 2005, the Guard had 134 members. Recruitment is arranged by a special agreement between the Holy See and Switzerland. All recruits must be Catholic, unmarried males with Swiss citizenship who have completed their basic training with the Swiss Army with certificates of good conduct, be between the ages of 19 and 30, and be at least 174 cm in height.

ECONOMYThe Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican Museums and post office and is supported financially by the sale of stamps, coins, medals and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by publications sales. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. Other industries include printing, the production of mosaics, and the manufacture of staff uniforms.

ECONOMYVatican City issues its own coins. Because of their rarity, Vatican euro coins are highly sought by collectors.Until the adoption of the Euro, Vatican coinage and stamps were denominated in their own Vatican lira currency, which was on par with the Italian lira.

POPULATIONAlmost all of Vatican City's 839 citizens either live inside the Vatican's walls or serve in the Holy See's diplomatic service. The Vatican citizenry consists almost entirely of two groups: clergy, most of whom work in the service of the Holy See, and a very few as officials of the state; and the Swiss Guard. Most of the 2,400 lay workers who comprise the majority of the Vatican workforce reside outside the Vatican and are citizens of Italy, while a few are citizens of other nations.

POPULATIONUnlike citizenship of other states, citizenship of Vatican City is granted namely on the grounds of appointment to work in a certain capacity in the service of the Holy See. Citizenship is extended also to the spouse, parents and descendants of a citizen, provided they are living with the person who is a citizen.

Anyone who loses Vatican citizenship and does not possess other citizenship automatically becomes an Italian citizen as provided in the Lateran Treaty

CULTURE

THE SISTINE CHAPEL

The Sistine Chapel is famous for its frescos, which include works by Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Botticelli as well as the ceiling and Last Judgment byMichelangelo. Artists who decorated the interiors of the Vatican include Raphael and Fra Angelico.

ST. PETER'S BASILICA

Vatican City is home to some of the most famous art in the world. St. Peter's Basilica, whose successive architects include Bramante,Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta, Maderno and Bernini, is a renowned work of Renaissance architecture.